


Uncle Reiji

by Alexielnoten



Category: Diabolik Lovers
Genre: Mention of Death, possible Lost Eden Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-12
Updated: 2017-06-12
Packaged: 2018-11-13 04:34:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11177145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alexielnoten/pseuds/Alexielnoten
Summary: Shuu's dying words to his brother were to tell him to take care of his bride and son.





	Uncle Reiji

**Author's Note:**

> This started as someone's question and became a thing. Thanks to Drakenzar on tumblr for the idea.

Reiji stood, waiting for the young man and woman to finish with their yearly tradition. It had now been five years since The Vampire King’s passing, the throne for the moment remained somewhat empty, the power flowing to the young blond woman bent over the memorial set for the eldest Sakamaki sibling.

_Hmph, just like Shuu to end things this way. On the throne barely a year before being defeated by that Kino person. Passing his gifts to her, a wisp of a girl and human. What was he thinking? Were I not here, I shudder to think what would have befallen our race. As always, you have proven irresponsible and a good-for-nothing._

The two approached, Yui’s young son staring up with those impossibly blue eyes that his brother and mother had both been blessed with. Reiji could only nod, understanding that the anniversary of Shuu’s passing was now concluded and prepared to bring the Vampire Queen and her heir back to Eden. 

After the death of his brother, Reiji was left with the care and education of his child...his nephew. How ironic, that Reiji once more found himself having to support a lesser person. No matter, this one had potential, at least. Still young enough to be molded into something that could, at least, pass for a respectable vampire of their esteemed family.

Upon returning, Yui excused herself. A stab of something shot through Reiji at seeing her. She had aged since taking on the power that was once his father’s, passed to his brother, and then to her. Her skin, already pale when he first met her, took on a porcelain like appearance, her pink eyes had deepened to a luminous garnet, much like his own. After all this time, yearnings still passed through him. But, as always, her heart remained loyal to him and Reiji was never one to break his bond. Still, there was that feeling…a type of pain in his chest that he could not quite name whenever he saw what she had become

_Good-for-nothing spineless excuse for a vampire...leaving her like this…_

He sighed, bowing to Yui’s slowly retreating figure and moved to attend his own duties. He stepped into the room they had fashioned into a classroom for the young prince. The blond head leaning over a book. Reiji’s lip twitched into almost a smile as he approached. Yes, young Edgar had proven more eager to learn than his father, to Reiji’s relief, though, there was still much this young prince needed to learn. Reiji wondered when it would be that Shuu’s old spirit would rear his head in the young boy.

“Now, to continue last week’s lesson regarding vampire history…” Reiji had brought a book from his own personal collection from his childhood. The dusty volume smelling of times long passed as Reiji opened the tome. Edgar was silent, but Reiji had never looked up to see if he was actually listening, focused as he was on the lesson. 

So, it was a surprise when Reiji looked up to question Edgar for review and found that Edgar was staring out the window. A lunar moth, a creature that his Queen had brought into existence due to missing the bugs and vermin of her world. He sighed, “Young Prince, while I understand that your father spent his days in lazy ‘devil may care’ bliss, I have made a promise that you will become a decent king. Do, please, refrain from making more work for myself in that regard.” 

The boy had the grace to flush under his chastisement and rushed to catch up to what he said. Lessons fell back into the norm after that. Edgar proved a decent learner, many flaws, nowhere near as diligent as his own self, but he was surprisingly adequate considering his parents. They discussed politics, etiquette, Reiji taking time to teach the boy yet another waltz; the things that were vital for a prince of a realm to know. 

It grew late, not that the unchanging sky of the demon realm gave much away in terms of time. Reiji adjusted his glasses, closing another leather bound text, stacking his materials neatly on the desk. “Ah, I believe this is a decent time to repair for the evening. Shall we?” Reiji extended his hand, indicating that the young male should go before him. They walked down the halls of Eden, Edgar greeting guests as a prince should, and greeting staff as a prince should not, Reiji working hard not to overstep his role and correct the boy in view of all. Of course, this restraint changed once they were alone, again, in Edgar’s quarters.

“Young Prince…” Reiji started, preparing to lecture the boy on his role and how lowly servants are not to be publicly addressed unless correction is needed. 

Before he could get even a single sentence out, he was interrupted, “Uncle Reiji, why don’t you call me Edgar? I’m your nephew. Even when alone, I’m always ‘young prince’...” Reiji paused. He knew the sound in the young boy’s voice well. A sound that once filled his own when he sought out his mother. A voice that was quite often glanced over as his mother worried and prattled about his brother. His eyes narrowed at the young boy, taking him in.

He bore the hair of his parents. Not quite the golden haired boy his brother was, but not entirely the ethereal moonlight of his mother’s hair, Edgar’s hair held a delicate light blond. His eyes were large and round like his mother’s, but that ocean blue Reiji always envied his sibling and matriarch. He was deceptively thin, like himself, his leaner form hiding a surprising amount of strength. Reiji finished his examination of the boy, taking in his expression, distantly wondering if he himself ever wore such a pathetic face.

“Edgar…” Reiji finally relented, giving into the call of the once neglected child of his past. Reiji moved, sitting in a chair, crossing his legs. Edgar sat as well, Reiji taking note that Edgar appeared to mimic his position. His eyes narrowed, but there appeared to be no mockery in the action.

_Has he always done such? Even his expressions mirror my own at times. Have I been so blind for so long? How is it I am finding myself so sentimental now, of all times?_

Reiji sighed, “...It is unbecoming for a vampire of your status to refer to the servants in such an affectionate manner.” Reiji decided it would be more comfortable to not follow his thoughts and stay on task. Reiji had always ever prided himself with the ability to divorce his thoughts and remain faithfully diligent to his duties. “At best, it makes you appear coddlesome. At worst…” he trailed off, letting Edgar deduce things on his own. 

Edgar nodded, “But they are closer to me than my family. Does that not account for something?” Reiji felt a jab. Again, memories of him attempting to bond with the servants of his home when his mother and brother refused him flared, Reiji sighing in exasperation. Edgar continued his argument about how his mother is always too busy for him and he, his own uncle, treated him like a servant would a master rather than a blood relative. Reiji would have, on any other night, dismissed this child’s argument as idiocy, but tonight, Reiji imagined that the day set to mourn the passing of Shuu dredged up many long buried things in the second son.

“It is time for your rest…” Reiji nodded, standing up, helping the young lord into his sleep wear, tucking him into the bed. Reiji, as always, paid close attention to Edgar’s clothing, putting them in their place and preparing tomorrow’s clothing. He was about to excuse himself from the room when the small voice reached him, “Mother never talks about father. Neither do you. Why?” 

Reiji sighed once more. It was ill to speak poorly of the former king, but there was a touch of earnestness in the young man’s voice that Reiji had to remind himself, not for the first time, that Edgar never had much of a chance to know his father. To Reiji, that was as much a relief as a regret. He moved back towards the bed, sitting awkwardly on the side of it. It was a pose he’d often times seen his mother in from when he and Shuu were younger, her posed on the side of Shuu’s bed as she lulled him to sleep. “Perhaps...it will not hurt to tell you of him…” 

Long after the household had settled to sleep, the servants long vacating the halls and their duties for a well earned rest, the door to the young prince’s room opened, the quiet figure making his way to his own rooms. He never opened up to anyone in his life, never allowed anyone that close into his heart. Yet, in the span of hours, a young boy forever changed his soul. Once more, Reiji found himself cursing his now dead brother. For yet another time had the shackles of his brother’s position snared Reiji and worse, this time he’d let it. In the breadth of a single moment, all the walls Reiji so carefully built crumbled in the face of one young curious nephew. Shuu’s last words to him, once more surfaced in his mind.

**“Take her, Reiji. You want to, I know. I’ve always known... Take her... take my son. Raise him like your own...I couldn’t protect her...I don’t deserve this power...Here’s your chance...show me who the better brother is…”**

_Foolish...I was foolish to let you trap me with that._

Reiji sighed. Tonight, it seemed was the first time that his promise to Shuu was delivered in full. 


End file.
